Reversible steam-turbine.



PATBNTED SEPT. 17, 1907.

No. 866,530 N. E. SMITH.

REVERSIBLE STEAM TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED DI EC.15,1906.

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o. 866,530. PATENTED SEPT. 17. 1907.

N. E. SMITH.

REVERSIBLE STEAM TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 15. 1906.

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No. 866,530. v PATENTED SEPT. 1'7, 1907.

N. B. SMITH. REVERSIBLE STEAM TURBINE.

APPLIOATION FILED DEO.15.1906.

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Wihwoou W0 Z I l v No. 866,530. I PATENTED SEPT. 17, 1907.

N. R. SMITH.

REVERSIBLE STEAM TURBINE. APPLICATION FILED DBO.15.1906.

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UNITED STATES OFFICE.

NELSON B. SMITH, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CONRAD F. GRIEB, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

RE VERSIB LE STE AM-TURB INE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 1'7, 1907.

Application filed December 15,1906- Serial No. 348,049.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that NELSON R. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reversible SteamTurbine or Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to reversible steam turbine engines, and its object is to provide means whereby the engine, both with respect to 'the motor in the high pressure chamber and that driven by the low pressure may be instantaneously reversed, without cutting off' the steam or stopping the engine and without jar or shock to the engine or its connected parts.

To this end my invention is embodied in preferable form in the device hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In these drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view partly in section of the engine; Fig. 2, an end view partly in section; Fig. 3, a side view partly in section, Fig. 4, a detail vertical elevation of the reversing valve. Fig. 5, a section in direction of arrow, on line m-x of Fig. 3, and Figs. 6 and 7, cross sectional detail views of reversingvalve through its ports.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the admission pipe for the live steam from a suitable source of steam supply. The pipe 1 connects with a short pipe 2 which leads to a pipe 3 forming the controlling chamber. Leading from the pipe 3 at right-angles to the pipe 2, are pipes 4; and 5 respectively. These pipes 4 and 5 lead one to either side of the chamber 6 of a tun hine motor device '7. Pipe 4 communicates with a pipe 8 which is tangential to the circumference of the motor device and which is provided at each end with nozzle pipes 9 leading into the chamber of the motor tangentially to the circumference thereof so as to direct the steam against the blades of the rotating motor or engine. On the other side of the engine the pipe 5 similarly leads centrally to a pipe 10 from which the steam is directed against the blades of the 'motor wheel through tangential pipes 11 and 12 in such direction as to drive the wheel in an opposite direction to that produced by the steam pressure which may be admitted from the pipes 8 and 9, before described.

The rotary motor wheel 7 comprises a hub 13, a disk or plate 14 fixed to said hub and blades or vanes 14 extending radially from the hub and provided with flanges 16 secured to the hub and with flanges 17 secured to said plate 16.

Surrounding the outer edge of the blades 17 is a ring 18 adapted to act as a strut or brace for the blades in order to hold them rigidly in position.

In my invention I provide not only a high pressure chamber for the motor or engine but also a low pres sure chamber. In the device here shown 6 constitutes the high pressure chamber. A low pressure chamber 19 adjacent to chamber 6 is provided, preferably separated therefi'om and formed of a separate and independent cylinder similar to chamber 6, and such low pressure chamber is also provided with a motor wheel 20 similar to wheel 7 of the high pressure cylinder.

Leading from the lower part of the high pressure cylinder 6 is an exhaust pipe 21 which communicates with the controlling chamber 3 at the lower part thereof.

From the chamber 3 extend pipes 22, 23 adjacent to pipe 21 and at right angles thereto. The pipes 22, 23 lead respectively to either side of the low pressure cylinder 19 and are adapted to direct the steam in opposite directions against the blades of the motor wheel 20 therein, by means of the nozzle pipes 24 and 25.

From the low pressure cylinder, an exhaust pipe 26 leads to the atmosphere.

Mounted in the controlling chamber pipe 3, is a cylinder valve 27 seated at its lower end in a plate 28 and having its upper end extending outside of the pipe and provided with stem 29 on which is secured a horizontal arm 30. To the arm 30 is pivoted a lever 31 having a lug or detent 32 adapted to traverse and to engage a segmental tooth plate 33.

The valve 27 is provided with an upper port 34 adapted to control the communication between the live steam admission pipe 1 and the ports 35, 36 of the left and right hand pipes 4 and 5 respectively, leading to the opposite sides of the high pressure cylinder.

Near its lower end, the valve 27 is provided with a port 37 adapted to control the communication between the exhaust pipe 21 leading from the high pressure cylinder and the ports 38, 39 of the pipes 22, 23 leading to the low pressure cylinder.

The ports 34 and 37 are so formed that when fully opened to the steam inlets, the ports 35, 36 and 38, 39, will each be opened half-way, thus permitting incoming steam to be equally divided and to pass with an equal pressure to each of the opposite steam pipes of the cylinders. With the valve in. this position, there fore, the pressure will be equal and balanced upon I each side of the engine wheel and thus the wheel will be maintained stationary but under a full head of steam. With the ports in such position, the controlling lever of the valve will be in midway position of the segmental plate as shown in the drawings.

To start the engine, it is merely necessary to move the controlling lever to the right or left whereupon the pressure will be unbalanced, the ports 34 and 37 acting to cut off the steam passing to one side of the engine at the same time that the port leading to the other side of the engine is proportionately opened wider, thus gradually increasing the pressure upon the latter side whereby the engine will be started. By moving the controlling lever of the valve around to the end notch, the port leading tothat side of the engine will be entirely cut off and the flow of steam will be directed wholly to the other side of the engine. To reverse the engine, it is merely necessary to move the controlling lever to the notch near the other end of the segmental plate whereupon the ports 34 and 37 will gradually serve to cut off the open side and to open the closed side until the port previously opened has been entirely closed whereupon the entire volume of steam will be directed in the new direction and the engine reversed.

Owing to the fact that the ports 34, 37 are always in communication with the ports of the live steam pipe and the high pressure exhaust pipe, a constant pressure is maintained upon the engine and it is merely necessary to unbalance this pressure in order to cause the starting of the engine and the reversal thereof. By these means the engine may be started, stopped or reversed, without a shock or a jar to the engine or its shaft, since the valve ports act to admit steam to one side of the engine in the same proportion that the steam is cut off on the other side whereby a graduating pressure is obtained and also a cushioning effect is produced due to the fact that the steam pressure is always maintained so that even upon a quick reversing action of the valve, steam will remain in sufficient quantity in the pipes and chamber on the side that is being cutoff to produce this cushioning effect whereby the shock and jar caused in reversing an engine due to suddenly throwing the load in the opposite direction is avoided while at the same time the necessity usually required in engines of this type of bringing the engine to a full stop before reversing is entirely obviated. With my invention constructed as above described it is rendered possible to immediately reverse the engine while driving at full speed without jar or injury to the engine or its connected parts.

Owing to the above advantages, my invention is particularly applicable to marine engines since the instant reversal above referred to is a highly desirable feature in connection with the propulsion of ships.

1 have shown the engine as adapted to the driving of a propeller shaft 40 secured to the hubs of the engine wheels and on the end of this shaft is mounted a propeller 4]..

In carrying out the arrangement necessary to produce the balanced pressure it will be seen that the ports leading from the controlling chamber are substantially at right angles to the inlet pipes so that when the controlling valve cuts off entirely one of the engine ports the opposite engine port will be open while the steam inlet port will not be closed but will be merely placed in such communication with either of the outlet'ports as to admit a 'eater or less amount of steam thereto.

The high pressure and low pressure cylinders are mounted on standards 42 and the driving shaft 40 passes through and is j ournaled in said standards and has its outer end supported in an upright 43. The controlling chamber pipe is similarly mounted on a supporting bracket 44. By means of the above supports the load of the various supporting and inclosing elements of the engine are borne independently of the driving parts and thus all strain taken therefrom.

It is clear that various changes in the details of the device herein described may be made without departing from the principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a steam turbine engine, in combination with the engine body, means forming a valve chamber, an alwaysopon steam inlet port in said chamber, opposite engine steam admission means leading from the chamber to oppo site sides of the engine body and in direct and uninterrupted communication therewith, a cylindrical valve in said chamber, said valve having a segmental port, semicircular in cross-section, therein, always registering with said inlet port, and meanswhereby the valve is movable only in the greater are between the edges of the inlet port extending around the valve chamber, whereby a constant flow of steam through the engine from the steam supply is maintained, and the valve divides the steam equally be tween the opposite steam admission means when the plane of the inner face of the port is at right angles to the direo tion of the steam inlet so as to balance the pressure on the opposite sides of the engine, said valve movable in said are to divide the steam unequally so as to unbalance the pressure whereby the valve port moves from one engine admission port to the other the greater pressure on one side will be cushioned by the opposed incoming steam until said opposed steam is cut off, a handle movable in said are for turning the valve and means to engage said handle to determine the position of the valve, substantially as described.

In a steam turbine engine, in combination with high pressure and low pressure cylinders, engine bodies therein, a valve casing, a cylindrical valve therein having two segmental ports in direct alinement, a live steam inlet pipe having an always-open port adapted to register with one of the valve ports, opposite engine admission pipes leading from the casing in direct and uninterrupted communication with the engine cylinder adjacent to said inlet, a steam outlet pipe from the high pressure cylinder having an always-open port communicating with the valve casing and registering with the other valve port. opposite low pressure admission pipes leading from the valve casing adjacent to said low pressure inlet and in direct and uninterrupted communication with the engine cylinder, said valve movable only in an are adapted to keep said valve ports always in communication with the inlet ports and with one or both of the opposite engine admission ports, an exterior handle mounted on said valve, an arc-plate to determine the length of movement of the handle and means on the late to engage the handle to fix it in different positions. substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NELSON R. SMITH.

Witnesses Jos. lI. Bnaenwoon,

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